Miniatur Wunderland

It’s very rare for me to upload dozens of pictures for a single place, but the Miniatur Wunderland sure is worth it. When I first visited in late-2016, the models have been under construction for 18 years and wouldn’t be complete until 2020. Its impressive model railway system is the largest in the world at over 15km long. Still today, more expansions are being planned for the coming decade.

Apart from having an impressive railway system that crosses viaducts and dives into tunnels, it also has a fully functioning model airport with over 200 aircraft movements a day and nearly 10,000 vehicles, some of which move with magnetic guidance. It is an extremely popular destination in Hamburg so be sure to purchase your tickets in advance to avoid waiting in their dining hall composed entirely of authentic first-generation ICE high speed train seats and a free soft drink fountain…maybe it is a good idea to wait.

Its impressive scenes include alpine terrain, snow-covered hills, and urban scenes from Hamburg. Visitors are invited to press buttons for the models to react with actions such as sending a boat across a river, turning the lights on an apartment, or opening up the iconic Hamburg State Opera to reveal its music halls. Though a lot of the scenes are from Germany and feature places like Neuschwanstein Castle, there are also models on Switzerland and Italy and Las Vegas.

Their Italian exhibit features intricate models of Rome and the Holy See. Although they models are geographically inaccurate they do feature all the most important locations like the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps, and St. Peter’s Basilica. No expense is spared on this €36m endeavour, its Nordic exhibit is particularly breathtaking as real water and a visible seabed is used to float model boats.